Latest from Daily Telegraph
Daily Telegraph
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Telegraph
Puntin delivers the 150th winner for Bjorn Baker this season
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. Trainer Bjorn Baker brought up a milestone 150th winner for the season when progressive gelding Puntin showed tremendous fighting qualities to prevail at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday. Baker has been enjoying the best season of his training career and reached his new benchmark with a month still to go in the season. Puntin has contributed to four of those victories throughout the 2024/25 campaign after he burst onto the scene over the summer with three straights at Nowra, Moruya and Warwick Farm. The son of Super Seth toughed it out on speed to score his maiden city victory in the Captivant @ Kia Ora Benchmark 72 Handicap (1400m). 'It's never easy to win on a Saturday and I think there is more in store, he has a great winning record,' Baker said. 'He was tough and it was a good ride. 'I still think the best is yet to come, once we get him up over a bit further.' Bjorn Baker looks on after Ashley Morgan guided Puntin to victory at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday. Photo:. Puntin was only narrowly beaten first-up this preparation at Canterbury and appreciated the step up from 1250m to 1400m. Jockey Ash Morgan found the front early on and was able to control the tempo of the race. Puntin ($4.40 ) continued to find over the concluding stages to hold off the Annabel and Rob Archibald-trained Don't Forget Jack ($3.90) by a short neck with Chris Waller's Maori Chief ($13) a half neck away in third. 'He had to work a little bit to get there and probably just overdid it a touch,' Baker said. 'I thought it was a good effort. I thought up to 1400m would suit today.' Morgan's decision to go to the front early on held the key to Puntin's latest success. 'I was open to taking a sit today but they put me into a position where had to grab the bull by the horns a little bit,' Morgan said. 'Lucky when he was there he rested for me really well. 'I felt like I was going to be vulnerable late because of that work in the first furlong but he is an incredibly tough horse with a lovely attitude. 'He kept sticking his head out.' The victory continued Morgan's remarkable season, which has included a maiden Group 1, and his third campaign with more than 100 winners. Originally published as Puntin delivers the 150th winner for Baker this season
Daily Telegraph
6 hours ago
- Daily Telegraph
Australia vs. West Indies: Cricket star accused of committing multiple sexual offences, including rape
Don't miss out on the headlines from Cricket. Followed categories will be added to My News. A West Indies cricketer has been accused of committing multiple sexual offences, including rape. Recent reports in the Kaiateur News – a South American newspaper – allege the international cricket star committed offences against 11 different women, including a teenager. West Indies vs. Australia Test & T20I Series | Watch every ball LIVE with ESPN, available on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer. No formal charges are understood to have been filed against the player as of yet. The alleged victims have reportedly been stonewalled and have subsequently hired lawyer Nigel Hughes to act on their behalf. A West Indies cricketer has been accused of multiple sexual offences. (Photo by Daniel Prentice/) Speaking on Caribbean station SportsMax TV, Hughes said the evidence is 'pretty strong'. 'The allegations that were levelled by the victim were levelled two years ago,' Hughes said. 'An investigation was conducted and we understand that there were recommendations by the Office of Public Prosecutions to institute charges. 'I think the evidence is pretty strong in relation to what is happening here.' Cricket West Indies has reportedly not received any official communication on the allegation and declined to comment further. It comes as the West Indies suffered a big defeat at the hands of Australia in the first Test on Monday morning (AEDT). Originally published as West Indies cricket star accused of committing multiple sexual offences, including rape
Daily Telegraph
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Telegraph
Psychologists break down what is going on with Donald Trump
Don't miss out on the headlines from World. Followed categories will be added to My News. President Donald Trump happily dropped the F-bomb. So what does this say about his willingness to use the A-bomb? He's mercurial. He's unpredictable. He's inconsistent. And he's proud of it. The 79-year-old billionaire property developer and former game show host believes it's what sets him apart from America's governing 'elite'. A clearly exasperated Trump took to the White House lawn to blurt: 'We basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don't know what the f**k they're doing.' He was referring to Israel and Iran breaching the deadline for his unilaterally declared ceasefire. It seems to work. At least sometimes. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was quick to back down. He thanked the President for his 'immense appreciation for Israel' and decided to 'refrain from further attacks'. But Russian President Vladimir Putin was not so cowed when he was pommeled with similar bluster. The Don's outburst over a breached ceasefire was dismissed as 'emotional overstrain'. So, who is right? President Donald Trump's outburst shocked the world. Picture: AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein That's a matter of personal politics. But Professor of Psychology Geoff Beattie believes such outbursts present a window into Trump's thought processes. 'Trump was clearly furious, and his language showed it,' the Edge Hill University academic writes. 'This was not a verbal slip – there was no immediate correction, no apology, no nonverbal indication of embarrassment. He just stormed off, clearly angry.' It's not what voters generally expect from their elected representatives. Statesmanship may have gone out of vogue decades ago. Along with transparency and accountability. Despite this, President Theodore Roosevelt's mantra of 'speak softly but carry a big stick' has largely remained an unwritten law of Western diplomacy since World War II. 'But Trump showed frustration, barely contained,' Professor Beattie states. 'His furious, aggressive response was like something straight out of an old psychology textbook.' Mind games Human beings have big opinions of themselves. They're supposed to be smart. To be cool, calm, collected. Civilised. After all, that's what's supposed to set them apart from mere animals. 'They find other ways of dealing with their frustrations,' Professor Beattie writes. 'They use their rational system of thought to find solutions… 'Perhaps, that's why many people feel shocked when they watch this US president in certain situations. To many of us, it all seems so basic, so unsophisticated, so frightening.' But Trump's MAGA followers believe it's all part of a mind game. They insist the President employs a sophisticated 'Mad Man' strategy when it comes to his politics, business and personal relationships. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump. Picture: (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson Put simply, it keeps his opponents off balance. They never know what to expect. But critics argue the tactic has a critical flaw: the 'Mad Man' card can easily back a player into a corner, where they must either go through with a bluff or lose face. It comes down to what's behind the poker face. Does Trump think fast, automatically - or unconsciously? Professor Beattie says this is evolution's basic, rapid-reaction system. 'It is an intuitive system designed to work in a world full of approach and avoidance, scary animals and friendly animals. It is heavily reliant on affect (emotion) to guide decision-making.' Or is everything Trump does the result of constant calculation? Professor Beattie says this second method of thinking is 'slower, more deliberative. It requires conscious effort and is used for complex thinking, solving difficult problems, or making careful decisions.' Good decisions, he argues, depend upon system two checking the advice of system one. 'But system one often jumps quickly and unconsciously to certain conclusions,' he adds. 'System two should check them, but often doesn't. Even when it would be easy.' Psychologists have broken down his actions. Picture: Remko de Waal / ANP / AFP / Netherlands OUT Action or reaction? 'It was a startling moment, even coming from a president who has publicly used that word, and other crude language, in the past,' states Tom Jones of the Poynter Institute for Media Studies. Mainstream media was all over the unprecedented action taken over Iran's attempt to build an A-bomb. But it couldn't make up its mind on how to cover Trump's F-bomb. Some ran unedited video clips. Others used a dash or dot dot dot to mask what everybody already knew. Poynter's senior vice president, Kelly McBride, argues the truth should be presented unvarnished. 'When you're covering the President, there are very few moments that are completely unpredictable and unscripted — many more with this President than most, but still — and that was one of them. And I think the record should reflect the entire moment.' His swearing is not something commonly done by presidents. Picture: NICOLAS TUCAT / AFP Few dispute Trump's decision-making style emphasises immediacy and emotional conviction. This has proven effective in rallying supporters and generating an air of decisiveness. Especially when nobody dares to disagree with him. Prime Minister Netanyahu immediately complied with Trump's 'Do not drop those bombs' demand. But his office put a positive spin on things. 'President Trump expressed his immense appreciation for Israel — which achieved all of its war goals. The President also expressed his confidence in the stability of the ceasefire… (So) Israel refrained from further attacks.' But President Putin's mouthpiece was more barbed when his boss was labelled 'absolutely CRAZY!'. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declared: 'We are really grateful to the Americans and to President Trump personally for their assistance in organising and launching this negotiation process. Of course, at the same time, this is a very crucial moment, which is associated, of course, with the emotional overstrain and emotional reactions.' Professor Beattie has made up his own mind. 'His decisions seem to be driven by strong emotions,' he observes. 'His response to events, opponents and issues are often passionate and visceral. This could lead to decisions being unduly influenced by personal feelings, first impressions based on arbitrary cues, and interpersonal perceptions, rather than anything more substantial.' Experts have said he is overrun by emotions. Picture: AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein The wisdom of The Don Trump rose to the US Presidency out of the knockdown world of real estate and reality television. 'Many suggest that Trump's decision-making style reflects his background in the high-pressure and high-stakes world of business, where quick judgments and gut instinct can be advantageous in these sorts of competitive winner-takes-all environments,' Professor Beattie states. 'But the world at war is a more precarious place, where system one (reactionary thought) needs to be kept more firmly in check. 'Gut instincts may have a role to play, but that old lazy system two (considered thought) needs to be more vigilant. Especially, it would seem, in Trump's case.' Such personalities have other commonly associated traits. 'Commentators have described Trump as both narcissistic and authoritarian,' state John Moores University workplace relations researchers Neil Beasley and Madeleine Pickles. Many do not know what to think of it. Picture: ANGELA WEISS / AFP 'Yet, running parallel to these factors, one character trait is glaringly common among Trump supporters: sycophancy.' Yes-men (and women): They're in every office, busily 'kissing up' and 'kicking down'. 'When leaders are surrounded by 'yes-men', they're deprived of critical input that could challenge assumptions or highlight potential flaws,' Beasley adds. 'This can lead to cognitive entrenchment where decision-makers become overconfident and resistant to change. Bad decisions then proceed unchecked, often escalating into systemic failures.' But the brains behind Trump insist this is all just sour grapes. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said after US forces bombed Iran's nuclear facilities: 'Past presidents wanted to take this action, but they didn't have the guts to make the decision.' Columnist Debra Saunders points out for the Heritage Foundation think-tank that, despite all the hostility between Trump and Europe, 'NATO leaders are praising Trump for pushing for them to increase their contribution to NATO's defence spending'. 'At the time, Trump's remarks seemed a shocking breach of decorum,' she added. 'Now they have the ring of an alarm that needed to be sounded.' Jamie Seidel is a freelance writer | @ Originally published as 'Driven by strong emotions': Psychologists break down Trump's latest bizarre act
Daily Telegraph
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Telegraph
Horse racing tips: Caulfield best bets for Saturday June 28, 2025
Don't miss out on the headlines from Opinion. Followed categories will be added to My News. News Corp form analyst Chris Vernuccio takes a look at the Caulfield meeting on Saturday. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ BEST BET MANOLO BLING (R2 No.1): Three-year-old filly Manolo Bling needed the run when she was run down late at Sandown against the older horses. She was a month and a half between runs and will take catching here against her own age. NEXT BEST THE BLACK CLOUD (R6 No.3): Sydney sprinter The Black Cloud made a pleasing return with a close second at Canterbury and just needs to go on with it now. His last win was a year ago at Flemington but he has been contesting stronger races, including a couple of Group 3s. VALUE BET LIM'S SALTORO (R9 No.3): Ex-Hong Kong galloper Lim's Saltoro should be ready now third-up in an open race. He has form around War Machine and Jimmy The Bear, beaten just 1½ lengths behind the latter at Caulfield last time out. THE JOCKEY JYE McNEIL SONOFKIRK (R1 No.4 – $4.80), TREMBLES (R2 No.5 – $4.40), HARRY'S YACHT (R4 No.3 – $5), RAINBOW DELIGHT (R5 No.16 – $8), RAIKOKE (R7 No.6 – $8), DUBLIN JOURNAL (R8 No.11 – $9), RUN HARRY RUN (R9 No.5 – $11). Originally published as On The Punt: Caulfield best bets for Saturday June 28, 2025
Daily Telegraph
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Telegraph
NRL news: State of Origin alarm bells as Kalyn Ponga ruled out, Reece Walsh put on notice, latest Queensland Maroons, NSW Blues team news
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News. Queensland star Kalyn Ponga is out of the State of Origin decider in a massive blow for Billy Slater's men. The Knights captain left the field in distress in the 60th minute of Newcastle's narrow 22-18 loss to the Raiders at McDonald Jones Stadium on Friday night. FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every game of every round in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. He was seen after the game in a moon boot and will go for scans over the weekend for what is believed to be a Lisfranc injury. If it is confirmed as a Lisfranc his season will be over. But what is for certain is he won't be part of Slater's side for the series decider in just over a week. If a midfoot sprain is confirmed, the best-case scenario would see the Knights star sidelined for two to six weeks. Reece Walsh will likely replace Kalyn Ponga in the State of Origin decider. (Photo by) But if it is as feared and scans reveal it is a high-grade injury, the 27-year-old would require surgery and would miss the remainder of the NRL season – a massive blow to the Knights' slim chances of playing finals footy in 2025. It comes after the fullback suffered a Lisfranc injury last season on his opposite foot, which required surgery and saw him miss 11 weeks of football. Kalyn Ponga injury opens door for Reece Walsh Origin recall Ponga's injury has opened the door for Reece Walsh to earn an Origin call-up. Walsh will line up against the Warriors on Saturday afternoon and a strong display will all but certainly see him recalled by Slater. While Dolphins star Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow is another fullback option for Slater, but that move appears less likely. Walsh has played five Origin games and if not being out with a knee injury early in the season, many believe he would have been Slater's preferred No.1. Walsh's knee is still far from right with the fullback seen limping on several occasions during the Broncos' 34-28 comeback win over Cronulla last week. However, the 22-year-old says it is getting better each week. 'It's good, I was trying to hide it (laughs),' Walsh said of his knee. 'It's a work in progress. I am still trying to get used to the feel of it.' NSW will have a home-ground advantage for the series decider, which will take place at Sydney's Accor Stadium on Wednesday, July 9. Originally published as Kalyn Ponga ruled out of State of Origin decider as Reece Walsh set to be recalled
